# Do event horizons exist?

## TL;DR

This paper argues that event horizons may not form during gravitational collapse, challenging classical black hole models and resolving the information loss paradox by showing horizons are not necessary for Hawking radiation.

## Contribution

It demonstrates that incorporating Hawking radiation prevents horizon formation in many models, suggesting horizon avoidance is a general feature of collapse.

## Key findings

- Hawking radiation prevents horizon crossing in models
- Event horizons may not form during collapse
- Resolves the information loss paradox

## Abstract

Event horizons are the defining feature of classical black holes. They are the key ingredient of the information loss paradox which, as paradoxes in quantum foundations, is built on a combination of predictions of quantum theory and counterfactual classical features: neither horizon formation nor its crossing by a test body is observable. Furthermore, horizons are unnecessary for the production of Hawking-like radiation. We demonstrate that when this radiation is taken into account it prevents horizon crossing/formation in a large class of models. We conjecture that horizon avoidance is a general feature of collapse. The non-existence of event horizons dispels the paradox, but opens up important questions about thermodynamic properties of the resulting objects and correlations between different degrees of freedom.